Welcome
Welcome to the CAPS Independent Advocacy newsletter! 
July 2024
New Collective Advocacy group for people who use drugs or alcohol
CAPS has recently launched a new Collective Advocacy service for people who need help to have their voices heard because of drug or alcohol use. Collective Advocacy worker Amy has been speaking to people at various recovery cafes in East Lothian. In this blog Amy shares how she is looking forward to working with this community on whatever they feel is important. Amy says: "It has been very encouraging how honest and transparent people have been in speaking about their experiences". Read Amy's blog here.
A picture of Amy smiling
New developments for Oor Mad History!
The Oor Mad History Collective Advocacy group is soon to team up with the Lothian Health Services Archive to create a discovery session at the University of Edinburgh. The group will choose items for display in the session. The sessions are designed for researchers, collection teams, and communities to come together to explore potential partnerships and collaborations. And to meet and break down barriers, thinking about future research they can do together on mental health history and advocacy. Find out more.
A photograph of items from the Lothian Health Services Archive in relation to Oor Mad History. A variety of leaflets and post cards, including a photograph of a medical professional looking at a bottle of medicine.
Do you want to meet new people and get involved in campaigning for change?
Collective Advocacy is all about people working together to bring about changes in how they are treated or the services they receive. The benefits of Collective Advocacy include sharing your experiences and opinions, developing new skills and meeting like-minded people. Two Collective Advocacy groups at CAPS that are looking for new members are the Ethnic Minority group and the Experiences of Trauma group. If your experiences align with either of these groups and you would like to use your own lived experience to campaign for change please contact Elil on elil@capsadvocacy.org or 07971 951 520.
Please could you help me out by sharing your views?
Hi I’m Catherine, CAPS’ Communications Manager. I’d really like to get your opinion on CAPS’ communications and our membership programme. I’ve put together a short anonymous survey here. If you were able to take a few minutes to fill in the survey please it would be a huge help! Your feedback means we’ll be better able to advocate for people who are disadvantaged and make CAPS more sustainable.
A picture of Catherine smiling. An office with other workers is in the background.
Collective Advocacy stall at Edinburgh Crisis Centre
Edinburgh Crisis Centre is having an open day on Thursday 11th July. Our Edinburgh Collective Advocacy worker Angharad will have a stall there and will be happy to tell you all about Collective Advocacy. If you can't make it on the day and would like more information on Edinburgh Collective Advocacy contact angharad@capsadvocacy.org 07989 402 612
CAPS Edinburgh Collective advocacy logo
The LGBTQIA+ community and Independent Advocacy
CAPS advocacy workers Ellis and Malin recently participated in a SIAA roundtable on LGBTQIA+ inclusion and Independent Advocacy. The roundtable was organised as part of on-going work that SIAA is doing to complete the LGBT Charter for Organisations - a program that enables organisations to proactively include LGBTQ+ people in every aspect of their work. 

As CAPS is the only Independent Advocacy organisation providing a service specifically for the LGBTQIA+ community, we were invited to discuss the work CAPS is doing both in terms of Individual and Collective Advocacy. In their presentation, Ellis and Malin talked about lessons they had learnt as advocacy workers engaging with the LGBTQIA+ community, common issues that LGBTQIA+ people face, and barriers to accessing Independent Advocacy services. They also highlighted the importance of inclusion and intersectionality as principles that should be embedded in all levels of the organisation. 

The roundtable was a success and CAPS has been invited to do a further workshop on the topic in the SIAA conference in September. 
The feedback tree!
Thanks everyone who attended our feedback day in May. Here are a few examples of flowers and birds that were attached to the feedback tree. There is also a survey for people who have been involved in Collective Advocacy over the last year. If this is you then we'd really value your input so we can evidence the difference Collective Advocacy makes and improve our service. Fill in the survey here.
a blue cut-out bird with the handwritten words ‘Fund us, money well spent, more economical in the long term, stronger together, new members welcome, lived experiences, the more the better’
A pink cut-out flower with handwritten words ‘we all have the right to be listened to, Empowerment we know what is best for us, we are challenging those who make decisions for us, passing on correct knowledge, rights, Entitlements.
A yellow cut-out flower with the handwritten words ‘Accidental involvement with the ‘Lothian Voices’ group. Through a group member joined Oor Mad History group after doing the course at QMU’
Call for participants
Do you want to raise awareness about issues affecting men with eating disorders? The 'Seen But Not Heard' Collective Advocacy Group are conducting interviews as part of a research project on men and eating disorders. If you live in the UK and identify or align with the experience of being a man with an eating disorder we want to hear from you. Please contact research@capsadvocacy.org. You'll get a £15 Amazon voucher for taking part!
Questions about travel in Midlothian
Transport is a particular concern for people in Collective Advocacy groups. Especially for people who live in more rural areas like Midlothian and East Lothian; it comes up a lot in those areas. Midlothian Council is currently consulting on the latest draft of ‘On the Move Midlothian: Our Active Travel Strategy for Everyone’. Find out more and reply to the consultation here.
Job vacancy
We are currently recruiting for the post of Individual Advocacy Worker (Mental Health).This is a great opportunity to join CAPS’ friendly, supportive Individual Advocacy team to provide Individual Advocacy to adults in East Lothian and Midlothian who are experiencing mental health issues. Closing date for applications is Wednesday 31 July 2024 at 12 noon. Provisional interview date Monday 12 August 2024. You can find out more and download the documents you will need here.
New staff member!
We welcome Niamh Allen as Collective Advocacy Team Leader. Niamh has previously worked at CAPS as the Collective Advocacy Worker for the Seen But Not Heard project, from 2014 until 2021. And also in Individual Advocacy on the Drug and Alcohol Team until 2023.

Niamh has studied counselling and outside of CAPS works part time as a CBT therapist.

Most of Niamh's free time is spent outdoors, walking with her dog, a Corgi called Buster. She also part shares a horse called Sparkles near the Pentland Hills, so is usually out there exploring with her at the weekends.
A picture of Niamh smiling, with her dog
Very best wishes from all at CAPS!
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CAPS Independent Advocacy is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation Scottish Charity number: SC021772